Other Advanced Procedures

These are procedures that require advanced expertise and skill level. Only a handful of interventional
bronchoscopists can perform these procedures safely with satisfactory outcomes.
The procedures are summarised here and if you require this type of advanced procedure Dr Herath will discuss with you the risks and benefits on individual basis.

Bronchoscopic Tracheal Dilation essentially means widening the trachea with balloons or surgical instruments to provide how much of the trachea is dilated.
Quite often during the procedure doctors will be better able to assess the cause of the narrowing if it has not yet been established.

It is essentially used to treat Tracheal Stenosis – a narrowing of the windpipe that sometimes occurs after radiation therapy or long-term use of a breathing tube or prolonged intubation during a medical procedure. Symptoms of Tracheal Stenosis include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, a high-pitched lung sound when inhaling and frequent upper respiratory infections, asthma and chest infections.
The condition can also be caused by viral or bacterial conditions including tuberculosis, as well as auto-immune conditions such as sarcoidosis, papillomatosis, granulomatosis and tumours that restrict airflow.

Tracheal Dilation is not always considered to be the best long-term solution but is often used as a short-term solution to make the patient more comfortable and can be repeated as needed.
However, if you need more than 3 repeated procedures a surgical option may be more viable.